


Hopeless Little City Boy

by ErinNox_Writes



Category: Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types, NADDPOD - Fandom, Not Another D&D Podcast
Genre: Based on that one comment Caldwell made in episode 30 about Erlin, Beverly's hopeless, Erlin's good at video games, M/M, Pining, Pre-Canon, short and sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 04:43:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18865954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErinNox_Writes/pseuds/ErinNox_Writes
Summary: Beverly's in love with his nerdy, anxious, cheesy, gamer best friend.





	Hopeless Little City Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't tell me I'm the only person writing fanfiction in this fandom. Also Bev and Erlin are the cutest, sue me.

 

Beverly watches his best friend wipe the sweat from his brow, the controllers still in his hands. He picks up the pace again, steadying himself on the snowboard that acts as the main control unit for the game. The screen on the machine shows him sailing down the mountain, successfully to avoid neary every attack the one giant on his right is hurling at him. He attacks, and with one well-placed hit, the giant dies. Erlin, in real life, does a trick on the board, and his character does it, as well. He lands at the finish line, standing triumphant as noises from the machine cheer for him.

After it’s finished, Erlin hops off, his curly hair plastered to his forehead with sweat. He pushes it back with one hand, offering Beverly a controller with the other. “Wanna go?”

Bev shakes his head. He can’t seem to take his eyes off Erlin, who looks as though he’s run a marathon. His muscles are tensing, his breathing is heavy, and the sweat is everywhere. It’s extremely…hot, for lack of a better word.  _He’s_  hot. Bev bites his lip. “You’re really good at that.”

Erlin shrugs. “I just practice a lot.”

“Yeah, but  _I_  could never do that.” He glances back at the screen, now reading “ _GIANT SHREDDERS!_ ” in big letters, in order to avoid looking at Erlin. “You make it look so easy.”

When he looks back, Erlin is blushing, but that could be because of the physical exertion from the game. Except he’s pretty sure it wasn’t there before. “It’s really no big deal,” Erlin mumbles. “I’m not even that good.”

Beverly gives him a pointed stare. “Erlin, you have  _every single high score_  on that game! You even beat out Egwene!”

Erlin’s face turns a shade darker. “I’m, uh, gonna go change. Then we can, like, watch a movie? Or something?”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Beverly lets it drop. As much as he’d love to continue complimenting Erlin, he gets it. Erlin turns around after nodding, heading out of the room. Bev doesn’t want to admit to himself that his face grew red at his best friend’s retreating figure.

He is so thoroughly screwed.

 

Movies with Erlin are some of the best times. Their families know to leave them alone, as they both get very absorbed in their movies. Even Egwene doesn’t bother them when they plop on the couch and turn on the TV. But the peace isn’t the only Bev likes about movie time. It’s also the only socially acceptable time for Bev to be  _this close_  to Erlin, to hold his hand or fall asleep on him. It’s the only time he can allow his heart to flutter and not worry about the repercussions, about someone bursting in and calling him out.

So yeah, movies with Erlin are great.

Erlin picks this time, and it’s one they’ve seen a million times, but it’s Erlin’s favorite, so Beverly doesn’t mind. He knows all the plot holes and all the little references and secrets and has all the memorable lines memorized (mainly because of Erlin), so really, he can take this time to wander into his thoughts. Yeah, he loves his movies, but lately, he’s been much more inclined to daydream than pay attention. Especially if it’s one he’s seen before.

With a huff, Erlin plops himself down on the couch, resting his hand on top of Beverly’s. Bev’s face flares up immediately, but he wriggles his fingers until their hands are loosely joined together, neither of them grasping onto the other but neither of them pulling away, either. The movie begins, filling the silence between them. Bev’s mind starts to wander.

He’s smitten, even sitting here right now. He knows they’re just only fifteen, and this probably won’t last, and he’s probably only attracted to Erlin because they’ve known each other for so long, but dammit if he won’t ride this out for as long as he can. He loves being near Erlin: watching him play video games, listening to him stutter as he rants, seeing his eyes light up as he talks about becoming High Septon one day, singing with him while they practice for the Boy’s Choir, looking up at the stars as they sit on the same log at camp,  _everything_. He loves having his best friend smile at something stupid he did. He loves the little secrets they pass on silently, things that are too soft to be said aloud or too complicated to put into words. He loves sitting here right now, thinking about telling Erlin, about saying _I like you. A lot. I love you. I’m in love with you and you’re my best friend_.

But as much as he loves it all, he hates it, too. Because even though Erlin’s presence makes him happier, it also reminds him of what can’t happen. Of the dire consequences of confessing to Erlin what he feels. Of the weight of his walk in the Light pushing down on his shoulders already, telling him that he needs to concentrate on that instead of his crush. Of the fact that they can’t be best friends forever, because people change and move on and Erlin wants to be High Septon one day and when he is he’ll be too busy to have friends like Beverly.

And it hurts. It really does.

“Dude? You okay?”

Bev looks up. The movie is paused, his knees are pulled close to his chest, and he’s gripping Erlin’s hand tight enough to cut off circulation. Erlin has turned around and is facing him, trying to get Beverly’s attention. He touches Bev’s arm with his free hand, and, swallowing, Bev looks over at him.

Erlin’s eyes are full of concern. “What’s wrong?” he asks quietly, as if he’s trying not to disturb someone.

“Nothing, I just…” Beverly trails off, looking away. Taking a deep breath, he musters the courage to ask a question. “We—We’re still gonna be best friends, right? Even when we’re adults and I’m a paladin and you’re leading Galaderon.”

Immediately, he regrets it. He’s not supposed to be the one doing this. _He’s_  the strong one. _He_ comforts  _Erlin_. Because Erlin’s scared, scared of the future, and Bev needs to be strong because if he doesn’t comfort Erlin, who will? But now here he is, voicing the same concerns and Erlin is probably freaking out.

But Erlin doesn’t freak out. “I mean,  _yeah_ ,” he says, and he’s smiling now at the prospect. “I-If you want to.”

“Yes,” Bev responds instantly, because he’s still strong, even though he’s sad. “I want to.”

Erlin’s grin grows. Together, they fall into a hug, and Bev is burrowing his nose in Erlin’s neck, trying to push away the thoughts of Erlin  _leaving_  or becoming too  _busy_  or deciding he doesn’t  _need Beverly anymore_  because he’s found some other guy who he loves and who loves him. He pushes it all away and focuses on Erlin, because Erlin’s here now and Bev is so infatuated with him and that’s all that matters.

He tangles a hand in Erlin’s hair, and the rest of the world falls away.

**Author's Note:**

> Was that a Dear Evan Hansen reference? Who knows. Hope you enjoyed (whoever's out there).


End file.
